We are beyond happy. While some votes are still to be counted, there is no doubt what has happened. A grassroots wave has swept the DINOs from the Senate. Join us at 5pm for a Deliriously Happy Hour Zoom Toast. Read on.
First, thanks to the many of you who sent emails our ways this morning, thanking us for our work. In truth, while we clearly played our part– mostly by educating and motivating — the heavy lifting was done by folks from Working Families Party, Olé, Strong FamilesNM, a raft of Indivisible chapters….and you.
Thank you all. We told you we could do this.
In a different world, last night Roxanne and I would have trekked to ABQ to be at a Working Families Party reception or at some hall in Santa Fe with Teresa and so many others of our Santa Fe peeps.
There would have been anxiety over the early returns and euphoria around 11pm when things shifted. There would have been hugs and high fives shared through tears of joy.
Instead Roxanne and I went to bed at 10, figuring we’d likely get one or two wins. Then we woke up and saw what was happening. We’ve been bouncing off the walls since then.
- Teresa lapped the field.
- In Sen. Dist 5, Leo Jaramillo trounced Sen. Martinez.
- In Sen Dist. 28 Siah Correa Hemphill dished out a landslide to Sen. Ramos.
- In Sen Dist 30. Pam Cordova walloped Sen. Clemente Sanchez.
- In Sen Dist 35, Neomi Martinez-Parra ousted Sen. John Arthur Smith….pinch me.
- In Sen. Dist. 38 Carrie Hamblen has narrowly removed Sen Pro-tem Mary Kay Papen,
We held off on sending this out this morning in hopes we’d get more final results for Sen. Dists. 35 and 38, but those results are just trickling in. Martinez-Parra holds a 450 vote lead (54%-45%) and the remaining votes are from Las Cruces, likely to favor her. Holding a smaller lead, Hamblen is still up by 150 votes, also with about 3000 absentee ballots from Doña Ana county. Very likely by the time we toast, these races will be decided and if by some miracle we were to lose one of these, we would still have PLENTY to celebrate. But we won’t lose those either.
Now to give you an idea what can happen in 2021 Legislative Session:
- Health Security Act, historically killed by John Arthur Smith or Clemente Sanchez. With both gone, very doable now.
- Abortion Decriminalization. The only Senate Dems remaining of the 8 who voted it down are Muños and Campos. We’ll get this bill done and quickly.
- Substantive tax reform, significantly increasing state revenues and eliminating tax loopholes, both long over due and always killed by Papen, Smith, and Sanchez…all gone.
- Legalized marijuana…same barriers, all gone.
- Community Solar and Energy Choice… same barriers, all gone.
- REAL regulation of gas and oil–the Land Commissioner must be dancing on the ceiling.
- EARLY CHILDHOOD $$$$$.
So let’s celebrate tonight. 5pm, Deliriously Happy Hour Zoom Toast. Click here to receive your invite. No program, no long talks, just a few toasts, light banter and then we’ll be done. Party hats welcome.
Crank Up the Volume
& Dance
Cuz We’ve Got TONS to Celebrate
And Hoot & Holler
Because today, WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS
Now Take that Feeling and
Recommit to This Kind of Win in November
I have lost count of how many times, when I’ve felt down, I have turned to Valarie Kaur for inspiration and hope. Maybe the darkness is the darkness of the womb.
In solidarity, joy and hope,
Paul & Roxanne
Categories: Uncategorized
HOORAY!!!!! So so so happy! Look what we can accomplish!!
Congratulations and thank you for your hard working pulling us all together. Like a friend said, “I’m in shock.” Of course, I knew all along we could do it!
We owe a great debt to Paul and Roxanne and Retake Our Democracy for giving us the courage to make this great day of Bye, Bye DINOs possible. You had the vision, we followed. The Gila River Diversion’s main “water-boy” is down the river. The Ramos Railroad is derailed, oil is well with Ramos’ campaign.
This is pleasing, and it is sobering. With wins like these comes responsibility, as we all well know. Nothing in the realm of public policy runs on auto-pilot…
Nevertheless, celebrating is in order!
Congratulations to Paul & Roxanne and all of Retake’s partners, alliances and advocates for believing that we can do it!
Yay and Yay! On to November!
What a message of hope with which to act on from Valerie Kaur. What if the darkness is NOT the darkness of the tomb but the darkness of the womb? What does the midwife tell us to do? Breathe, YES, Push, YES, because if we don’t we will die. We must keep breathing and pushing because we MUST make it to January!
That is just great, Paul & Roxanne. I’ve been reading your blog to Richard and he’s gotten as excited as I am. WAY TO GO!!!
Retake – Paul, Roxanne, the core team that has worked tirelessly through election seasons and beyond – are due a great shout-out of thanks. Feeling what it means to have quality leadership accrue the commitment of the grass roots, and make “grass roots” a bona fide powerhouse to contend with. How saweet it is!
The last two blogs have turned me into a more hopeful frame, very much needed. I’ll comment more there later but want to say that Retake’s leadership and collaboration and timely, accurate information have won the day with the elections. It has been a pleasure to observe and participate and now to celebrate. I may be late.
Barbara
This is absolutely the best news possible!
It reinforces my belief that change is
possible and we can work together to move forward!
CONGRATULATIONS!!!! Job well done!! Am so delighted!!
Congratulations New Mexico, you’re awesome!
Under your brilliant leadership and energy-filled initiatives, this celebration is well deserved! Congratulations to all Retakers, voters, roundhouse visitors, phone callers, talkers and listeners. Well done.
My comment to corndogcatman’s reply – based on 35 years of direct personal experience dealing with the NM legislature;
Correction: EVERYTHING in the realm of public policy runs on autopilot! By design. We just never see the pilot, or his crusty, impotent and senile old hand. Just his puppets. By design. Blue string. Red string. Watch the puppets dance.
I don’t think this could have been possible without Paul and Roxanne. It was your vision that we could get information out to the voters, and by-George we did it. For the first time, not to just a couple of districts but to the whole State. The explanation of the DINOs control was a wonderful tool. You pulled together this fabulous team. “Retake” has become a trusted source. Thank you so very much for all you have done. I know our work is not yet done, but with you helping us along I believe a win in November is actually possible.
Grateful and joyful – what a combination!
Thank you, RETAKE !! Thank you Paul and Roxanne!!
This is a major accomplishment and due to the efforts of so many. Bravi!!! I also appreciate the Action Alert from today, which reminds us that we still have our work cut out to defeat the GOP opponents and dark money coming into NM to defeat these worthy candidates. I believe we can do it and will do my own small part to support them. (Translation: phone calls and emails are in my future!)
This made me smile. I am hoping the post coming out in an hour will light similar fires. Be well. Hi to Franz.
Thank you Retake and the Working Family Party for your tireless work in making sense of the legislative process for citizens and doing all the detective work needed to make progressive change possible.
WOW, what a victory! Much gratitude for all the work you all did!